Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1 · 2018-02-26 · 112 Exploring Literary Classics Lesson 1 Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1 Glossary RL.3.4, L.3.4 (Answers, for

110

Exploring Literary ClassicsLe

sson

1

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1“The Grand Tour of the Gardens”

To follow Peter Pan’s adventures, it is important that you are familiar with Kensington Gardens. Kensington Gardens are in London. No child has ever seen all of the gardens because they are so big that there isn’t enough time to see them all.

On one side of the gardens is a street with a never-ending line of buses that you have to cross to get into the gardens. There are many gates into the gardens, but there is only one that you use to go in. Before you go in, you speak to the lady with the balloons sitting outside. She can’t go in because if she were to let go of the fence, the balloons would lift her up, and she would fly away. She has quite a red face from the strain of holding onto the balloons all day.

Inside, the gardens are tremendously big, with millions and hundreds of trees. There is a path called the Broad Walk, which is much bigger than the other paths in the garden. On the Broad Walk is a tree where a boy called Cecco lost his penny, and found a twopence when looking for it. This tree is now called Cecco Hewlett’s Tree. People have been digging there ever since.

On the way to the Round Pond is a statue called Big Penny, and the Baby’s Palace. A baby once lived in the palace all alone, with lots of dolls. When people rang the bell, she got out of bed, lit a candle and opened the door in her nightdress.

On the right of the Broad Walk is the Baby Walk, which is full of baby prams. From here you can walk through a passage called Bunting’s Thumb, to Picnic Street. On Picnic Street chestnut-blossoms fall into your mug as you are drinking.

The Round Pond is in the very middle of the gardens. The best boat to sail on the Round Pond is a stick-boat. As you walk around pulling it by the string, you see little men running about the deck, and sails rise magically to catch the breeze.

Lots of paths lead to the pond. Some of them are ordinary paths, but others are Paths that have Made Themselves. They are wide at one spot, and very narrow at another. These paths make themselves at night after the gates are closed, like all the most wonderful things that happen in the Gardens. The paths make themselves because it is their only chance of getting to the Round Pond.

EL Education Curriculum 111

Grade 3: Module 3: Unit 2: Lesson 1

The Serpentine begins near here. It is a lovely lake, and there is a drowned forest at the bottom of it. If you peer over the edge you can see the trees all growing upside down, and they say that at night there are also drowned stars in it. Only a small part of the Serpentine is in the gardens, before it passes under a bridge to far away where the Bird’s Island is. No human, except Peter Pan (and he is only half human), can land on the island, but you can make a paper boat and slip it into the water, and it reaches the Bird’s Island after dark.

Adapted from Barrie, J.M. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. n.p, 2008. Project Gutenberg. [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1332/1332-h/1332-h.htm]

800L

112


sson

1

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1 Glossary

RL.3.4, L.3.4

(Answers, for Teacher Reference)

Word Definitiontour a journey in which several different places are visited

familiar well-known

strain a demand on strength or ability

tremendously large in size, extent, amount, power, or degree

prams push-along baby carriages, like strollers

passage a narrow path from one place to another

peer look keenly at someone or something



Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 2“Peter Pan”

Peter was born a long time ago, but he is only one week old. He has never had a birthday. This is because he escaped from being a human when he was seven days old. He flew out of the window to Kensington Gardens because he thought he was a bird. He landed in Kensington Gardens between the Baby’s Palace and the Serpentine.

After seeing some fairies carrying water, Peter realized he was thirsty. He fell in a puddle and got wet trying to drink water like a bird, so he sulkily decided to go to sleep. Peter awoke long before morning in a tree on the Baby Walk, shivering with cold. His head was stuffy and he really needed to blow his nose, but he needed help. When he couldn’t get the fairies or birds to help him, Peter sat down and cried. Poor little Peter Pan!

Peter decided to fly to the Bird’s Island in the Serpentine to speak to Soloman Caw, a bird who guarded the island. When Peter explained the problem, Soloman was cruel. He sneeringly pointed out Peter’s nightgown, toes, and lack of feathers to show Peter he wasn’t really a bird at all. Peter began to shake with shock and forgot that he needed to blow his nose. He remembered his mother and wanted to return to her, but something prevented him from doing so. As soon as he realized he was human, he doubted his power to fly. The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you stop being able to do it.

“Poor little boy!” said Soloman, “you will never be able to fly again, not even on windy days. You must live on the island always.”

“And never even go to the Kensington Gardens?” Peter asked tragically.

“How could you get across?” said Soloman.

So Peter was stuck on the Bird’s Island. Soloman promised to teach Peter the bird ways, but Peter would not eat worms or insects, so the birds brought him bread in their beaks. He became very clever at helping the birds to prepare their nests. He made little water troughs near the nests and dug up worms for the little ones with his fingers. Soloman showed Peter how to be happy, so Peter wanted to sing all day long like the birds. He made a pipe of reeds and, in the evening, he sat by the shore of the island and practiced.

122


sson

2

But as Peter sat by the shore playing his pipe, sometimes he became sad because he could see, but couldn’t reach the gardens. The ducks tried to teach him to swim, but he couldn’t figure out how to sit on the water without sinking. Once a kite landed on the island and the birds offered to show him how to fly it. Six of them took the end of the string in their beaks and flew away with it. He loved it so much, they did it again and again. He begged them to do it once more with him clinging to the tail, hoping he would make it to the Gardens, but the kite broke to pieces in the air. He would have drowned in the Serpentine had he not caught hold of two swans and made them carry him to the island.


780L

Glossary:

Word Definitionrealized became fully aware of somethingshivering shaking from cold or frightlack not having enough of somethingdoubted felt uncertain abouttragically with extreme stress or sadnesspracticed did something regularly or repeatedlyclinging holding tightly to

134


sson

3

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 3“The Thrush’s Nest”

A young poet named Shelley made a paper boat from a banknote, and sent it sailing on the Serpentine. It reached the island at night. It was taken to Soloman Caw, who gave it to Peter to play with.

Peter knew what it was and thought of all the ways he could use it to reach Kensington Gardens. After planning together, Peter and Soloman called the thrushes to a meeting. Soloman told them how impressed he was by their nest-building, and this put them in a good mood at once. “If,” he said, “a finch’s nest is placed on the Serpentine it fills with water and breaks to pieces, but a thrush’s nest stays dry.” The thrushes were very happy and applauded! After this Soloman explained to the thrushes that their young friend, Peter Pan, wanted to cross the Serpentine to Kensington Gardens. He needed their help to build a thrush’s nest large enough to hold Peter, like a boat.

At first, the thrushes were very sulky. “We are very busy people,” they grumbled, “and this would be a big job.”

“Quite so,” said Soloman, “and, of course, Peter will pay you sixpence a day.”

Then all the thrushes hopped for joy, and began building the boat immediately. Peter paid them every evening. They stood in rows on the branches waiting politely while he cut the paper sixpences out of his banknote.

After months of hard work, the boat was finished. Peter made a sail from his old nightgown, and when the full moon rose, he left the island. He had promised the thrushes to begin by making short voyages, with them as his guides, but when he saw Kensington Gardens he could not wait. At first, his boat turned round and round, but eventually his sail caught a wind that carried him under the bridge and in sight of Kensington Gardens. Then, he was caught in a storm, which carried him to land in a small bay.

He was not safe yet though. As he tried to get out of his boat, the fairies armed with holly leaves shouted at him to leave because it was past Lock-out Time. Peter told them that he was not an ordinary human and wanted to be their friend. When the fairies saw that the



sail on his boat was a baby’s nightgown, they felt sorry for him and led him to their queen. The fairy queen told Peter he could go where he wanted after Lock-out Time in the Gardens.


850L

136


sson

3


RL.3.4, L.3.4

(Answers, for Teacher Reference)

Word Definitionimpressed feeling admiration and respect

mood a temporary way of feeling

grumbled complained or protested

immediately at once, instantly

politely showing good manners

though however



Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 4“Lock-Out Time”

The fairies are beautiful dancers and have balls in fairy rings, made by the fairies dancing round and round. There is a way to find out when the fairy balls are going to happen. The fairies change the closing time of Kensington Gardens on the signs. For example, they change it from seven to six-thirty. This means they can begin their ball half an hour earlier. Peter Pan is the fairies’ orchestra. He sits in the middle of the ring and plays his pipe.

On the princess’s birthday, the fairy Queen told him that for playing so beautifully she would give him a wish.

“If I chose to go back to mother,” he asked at last, “could you give me that wish?”

The fairies didn’t want him to leave because then he wouldn’t be able to play for them anymore, so the Queen said, “Pooh! Ask for a much bigger wish than that.”

Then Peter thought and said, “Well, then, I think I shall have two little wishes instead of one big one.”

Of course the fairies had to agree. He said that his first wish was to go to his mother, and he would keep his second wish for later.

“I can give you the power to fly to her house,” the Queen said, “but I can’t open the door for you.”

“The window I flew out at will be open,” Peter said confidently. “Mother always keeps it open in the hope that I may fly back.”

And so they granted his wish. They all tickled him on the shoulder and soon he flew away out of Kensington Gardens.

The window was wide open, just as he knew it would be. In he fluttered and there was his mother lying asleep. She looked sad, and he knew why she looked sad. One of her arms moved as if it wanted to go around something, and he knew what it wanted to go around. He knew if he said “Mother” ever so softly, she would wake up. She would give such a happy cry and squeeze him tight.

Peter looked longingly at his mother, and then at the window. Would he enjoy wearing clothes again? He got off the bed and opened some

144


sson

4

drawers to have a look at his old clothes. They were still there, but he couldn’t remember how to put them on. Did you wear socks on your hands or feet? His mother woke up and he heard her say, “Peter.” If she said it again he knew he would cry, “Mother” and run to her. But she went back to sleep, with tears on her face. He played her a beautiful lullaby on his pipe and he never stopped playing until she looked happy. In the end Peter decided that he wanted his second fairy wish before he returned home. “I promise to come back,” he said as he flew away.

Many months passed before he asked the fairies for his second wish. He didn’t hurry because he didn’t think his mother would ever get tired of waiting for him. At last he said to the fairies, “I wish now to go back to mother forever and always,” and they tickled his shoulders and let him go. He flew straight to the window, but the window was closed and there were iron bars on it. Peering inside he saw his mother sleeping peacefully with her arm around another little boy. Peter called, “Mother! Mother!” but she didn’t hear him.

He had to fly back to the Gardens, sobbing, and he never saw her again.


570L

Glossary:

Word DefinitionGranted gave what was wanted

Fluttered flew with quick, light wing movements

Peering looking hard or closely to see something better

Sobbing crying with a lot of emotion



Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 5“The Little House”

The Little House in the Kensington Gardens is the only house in the whole world that the fairies have built for humans. But no-one has really seen it. You only see it if you sleep in it. This is because it is not there when you lie down, but it is there when you wake up and step outside.

The house was first built for Maimie Mannering. Maimie was four years old. She was quite ordinary in the daytime, but at night when sent to bed, she would scare her six-year old brother Tony by pretending that something with horns was going to attack his bed.

Tony told Maimie that one day he was going to stay behind in Kensington Gardens after the gates were closed.

“Perhaps Peter Pan will give you a sail in his boat!” said Maimie.

“I shall make him,” replied Tony.

One afternoon when the Gardens were white with snow, Tony and Maimie arrived at the Gardens with their nanny. They saw that the fairies had changed the closing time of the gardens for a fairy ball. Maimie thought that today would be a great day for Tony to stay in the gardens. “Is it today?” she asked him, and Tony nodded. So Maimie took off her scarf and kindly gave it to him. “In case you should feel cold,” she whispered. Maimie pretended to race Tony to the gate so that he could hide, but she got a shock when instead of hiding, her hero brother ran right out of the gate. She was disappointed that her brother had been a coward, so she hid herself instead. She shut her eyes and didn’t open them until she heard the clang, clang, clang of the gates closing.

Immediately an elm-tree began to stretch out its arms and yawned, and then Maimie saw other tall trees doing the same thing. She told the trees she would like go to the fairy ball. The trees warned her that if the fairies saw her they might do mean things to her. She learned that the fairies were not in a very good mood at the moment because the Duke of Christmas Daisies could not fall in love with anyone.

Maimie followed a red ribbon to a bridge over a dry puddle into which a fairy had fallen and was unable to climb out. At first the fairy was

158


sson

5

afraid of Maimie, but when Maimie began to help her, she told Maimie her name was Brownie. She said she was on her way to the ball to see if the Duke would have her. She was worried that the Duke would not like her and was thinking about not even trying. Maimie reassured her that she should and made her feel better. Brownie told Maimie not to follow her to the ball, but Maimie was curious. She followed Brownie and peered from behind a tree. She was disappointed not to see Peter Pan, who was late because his boat was stuck in ice on the Serpentine. She watched ladies burst into tears as they were told the Duke didn’t love them. Maimie watched her fairy friend, Brownie, go before the Duke and his doctor. The doctor put his finger on the Duke’s heart. “What’s this?” he cried. Then he put his ear to the heart. “Good gracious me!” the doctor cried before informing everyone that the Duke was in love with Brownie! How the crowd cheered and leapt! Trumpets played, the moon came out, and all of the fairies started dancing. And then Maimie went and spoiled everything.

She couldn’t help it. She was so happy for her friend, so she took several steps forward and said, “Oh Brownie, how wonderful!”

Everybody stood still, the music stopped and the lights went out. Maimie heard the murmur of angry voices, and suddenly realized the danger she was in. She screamed and fled. She ran until she could run no more and fell asleep in the snow.

As the new duchess, Brownie begged Queen Mab not to hurt Maimie. After hearing how Maimie had helped Brownie, the Queen wanted to thank Maimie. The fairies followed Maimie’s footsteps through the snow. They could not wake her up or carry her to a more sheltered spot, and they were worried she might die from the cold, so they cleared the snow off her and built a beautiful house around her. The house was exactly the size of Maimie, with windows, a front door, hot and cold water, and a chimney on the roof. Outside there was a flower garden with blooming roses, and a vegetable garden.

All through the night the house took care of Maimie while she was sleeping, and she woke up feeling cozy. She thought she was at home and called out for Tony. As Tony didn’t answer, she sat up and hit her head on the roof, which opened like the lid of a box. She was amazed to see Kensington Gardens all around her lying deep in snow. She stepped out of the roof and looked at the beautiful house, which immediately began to shrink. It shrank down to nothing. Maimie



stamped her foot and was just putting her fingers to her eyes when she heard a kind voice say, “Don’t cry, pretty human, don’t cry.” She turned around and saw a beautiful little boy. She knew at once that he must be Peter Pan.


760L.

160


sson

5


(Example, for Teacher Reference)

RL.3.4, L.3.4

Word Definitionreplied said something in response to something someone

else said

disappointed sad or displeased because someone or something didn’t meet expectations

curious eager to know or learn something

informing giving someone facts or information

several more than two, but not many

murmur a soft, low sound

shrink become smaller in size or amount

Documents

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1 · 2018-02-26 · 112 Exploring Literary Classics Lesson 1 Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens: Chapter 1 Glossary RL.3.4, L.3.4 (Answers, for